Probing the limits of sampling gaseous elemental mercury passively in the remote atmosphere
Environmental significanceWhereas extremely remote locations, such as Antarctica or isolated islands, are important for studying the troposphere, limitations regarding site access, electrical power, skilled personnel, and specialized supplies can make measurements challenging. Passive sampling appro...
Published in: | Environmental Science: Atmospheres |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
Other Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2022
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03936028 https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03936028v1/document https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03936028v1/file/d2ea00119e.pdf https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ea00119e |
Summary: | Environmental significanceWhereas extremely remote locations, such as Antarctica or isolated islands, are important for studying the troposphere, limitations regarding site access, electrical power, skilled personnel, and specialized supplies can make measurements challenging. Passive sampling approaches without the need for power, maintenance and frequent site visits are attractive, but their performance under the frequently harsh conditions encountered at such sites needs to be established. We tested the feasibility of recording long-term average concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury with a passive sampler at some of the world's most remote and extreme atmospheric research stations. The failures and successes of these tests informed the development of guidelines and procedures that increase the likelihood of obtaining reliable long-term records of atmospheric mercury with passive samplers. International audience Reliably recording very low ambient concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in remote regions is often required, for example in the context of evaluating how effective the Minamata Convention is in reducing global Hg emissions. However, sampling over extended periods of time at sites that are difficult to access can be very challenging. In order to establish what role inexpensive and easy-to-use passive air samplers may play in this regard, we deployed a sampler using a Radiello diffusive barrier and activated carbon sorbent for periods of up to three years and with sampling periods ranging from one to three months in some of the most extreme, remote and challenging global environments: at Concordia station on the Antarctic plateau, on Amsterdam Island in the remote Southern Indian Ocean and at several sites on the tropical island of La Reunion. The ability to reliably record the GEM concentrations at these sites was strongly influenced by the size of the sequestered amount of mercury relative to the extent and variability of the contamination of field blank samples. In some cases, ... |
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